[tlug] Changing a file server from XP to Ubuntu

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

I've got a situation where there's a small business that has an Windows
XP machine as a file server. It's just a file server, nothing else.

I go in every month and check to make sure that their files are backed
up. I also help them out when they get a virus or have a problem with
their email or whatever.

The thing is, every time I go to check on the filer server, when I log
in, XP wants to do all sorts of updating and annoying things. Plus, I'm
not confident the automated scheduled back up is doing it's job.

What I wanted to do is change the file server to a Linux machine. I know
that it's not a big deal in principle. It's just a file server on a
local network, and it should be more stable and secure, and have no
problem making files available to a bunch of Windows machines.

All the important files are backed up on an external hard drive, so I
can easily wipe the XP machine and install Ubuntu.

The trick is whether or not I can make the file server available on the
network in such a way that I don't have to make any changes on the rest
of the office machines.

I think that's the thing that will make a difference on whether or not
they will allow me to make the change. If I say I'm going to have to
tinker with every machine, they'll get nervous. If I can say I'm just
going to improve the file server and leave everything else as is,
they'll have no problem with it.

If I understand correctly, each Windows machine in the office sees the
file server as a Windows Share drive. I'm a little hazy in my memory
about Windows Shared drives, but I think they need a password to access it.

Do you think I can get Linux to take over the position of the file
server and set up a shared drive that all the Windows machines will see
without knowing that it isn't the same shared drive it's always been?

If anyone has any tips on how I could do this, I'd really appreciate it.

-- 
Dave M G